India's International Strategy and Partnership with Russia Discussed at Inostranka

On October 9, the Library for Foreign Literature (Inostranka) hosted a lecture titled "Russia and India: Partnership and International Strategies," organised by the BRICS Expert Council-Russia and the BRICS+ Information and Cultural Media Centre. The speaker, Alexey Kupriyanov, Candidate of Sciences (PhD) in History, Head of the Centre of the Indo-Pacific Region at Primakov National Research Institute of World Economy and International Relations (IMEMO) under the Russian Academy of Sciences, provided a detailed analysis of India’s foreign policy priorities, its decision-making processes, its relationship with Russia, and its role within BRICS.

According to Prof. Kupriyanov, India is actively seeking a more prominent presence in global affairs and positioning itself as the "voice of the Global South," a stance strengthened by the successful G20 Summit in Delhi. Simultaneously, it finds itself in competition with China for leadership.

He emphasised that economic benefit remains a top priority, heavily influencing Delhi's decisions. For instance, it is more advantageous for the Indian economy to continue purchasing affordable Russian oil since potential sanctions affect only a small share of Indian exports to the United States. Prof. Kupriyanov devoted significant attention to Russian-Indian relations, expressing confidence that economic pragmatism continues to underpin the partnership. While recent trade growth is largely linked to energy, its future expansion will depend on the broader global economic landscape.

In conclusion, the expert stressed that India would maintain its course of strategic autonomy and diplomatic flexibility, engaging with various power centres, including the American and the Chinese technosphere.

This event was held as part of a public series of lectures focused on the BRICS nations hosted by Inostranka, featuring leading Russian experts.